Hood-forming rain cloak



1954 LOIS M. FINNEGAN NOW BY CHANGE OF NAME LOIS E. Moss HOOD-FORMING RAIN CLOAK Filed Dec. 26. 1951 INVENTOR A 0/5 M; Finnegan m m n A Patented Feb. 2, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOOD-FORMING RAIN CLOAK Lois M. Finnegan, Detroit, Mich., now by change of name Lois E. Moss Application December 26, 1951, Serial N 0. 263,410

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to rain cloaks and particularly hood-forming rain cloaks.

An object of the invention is to form a rain cloak of such inexpensive material and design that it will be practical to discard the garment after one or two uses.

Another object is to form from a single piece of sheet material a rain cloak, a hood for such cloak, and means for securing the cloak and its hood in use position.

Another object is to provide the described cloak with suitable reinforcements in its areas of maximum tensional stress.

Another object is to adapt a rain cloak to be folded into a sufliciently compact package to be readily carried in a coat pocket or handbag.

These and various other objectsare attained by the construction hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of my improved rain cloak as opened out in plane form.

Fig. 2 is a front View of my improved cloak in use.

Fig. 3 is a corresponding side view.

In these views, the reference character I designates a sheet of quite thin waterproof plastic material, preferably transparent and of light weight. Such sheet has a horizontal top edge 2,

downwardly divergent and equal lateral edges 3 and 3a and a bottom edge 4. It is preferred to form the bottom edge as an are centered at the intersection 5 of the upwardly extended lateral edges. The divergency of the lateral edges closely approximates one hundred degrees.

Between its lateral and top edges, the described sheet is formed with a pair of opposed triangular lateral extensions 6. These serve as coacting tie members as will presently be more fully explained. Each tie member 6 forms preferably an included angle of thirty degrees and has a preferred length from base to apex approximating ten inches. The point of intersection of the extended edges 3 and 3a preferably lies above the top edge a distance closely approximating one seventh of the vertical medial extent of the sheet.

In use of the described garment, it is initially disposed against the wearers back, being manipulated by the tie members 6. The top portion of the garment serves as a hood, being forwardly flexed to cover the wearers head, including any hat or cap thereon. The tie members 6 are downwardly extended at opposite sides of the head, adapting them to be knotted together under the chin. The edge 2 assumes the approximate form of an inverted U occupying an approximate vertical plane such asto expose the wearers face. Tensional stresses arising from interconnection of the two tie members are primarily upwardly transmitted to a point 7 at which the garment centrally rests on the head or head gear of the wearer. To reinforce the garment against such stresses, it is desirable to adhesively secure to the hood portion of the garment, flexible fabric tapes 8 extending to the point 1 from the free ends of the tie members.

Interengagement of the tie members further shifts the edges 3 and 3a toward each other in front of the wearer, lapping the margins adjoining such edges and avoiding any material gap for access of rain or snow. The tie members, in thus closing the garment at its front, apply material stresses to the edges 3 and 3a at their junctures with such members, and it is highly desirable to reinforce these junctures. I provide reinforcements having the nature of flexible fabric gussets 9 adhesively secured to the garment. It is preferred to form the edges 3 and 3a with approximately semicircular notches l0 adjoining the members 6 to facilitate a lapping relation of the margins determined by said edges, when the garment is in use. Knotting together of the tie members establishes their bases or roots at substantially a common point beneath the wearers chin, and the notches in adapt the margins determined by the edges 3 and 3a to extend somewhat beyond such point in lapped relation. The gussets 9 conform to the notches I0, stiffening the discussed margins at their tops and thus assisting to maintain the desired lapped relation. It is preferred furthermore to apply adhesive tape II to the edges 3 and 3a as a reinforcement, and for a like reason tape may be applied at l2 to' the edge 2, at it to the lower edges of the members 6, and at M to the arcuate bottom edge.

Because of its one-piece construction, its use of quite inexpensive material, and its elimination of all fastenings other than the ties 6 formed in cutting the garment to shape, the described garment may be produced at a cost low enough to warrant its discarding after one or a few uses. Forming the garment of light,

sheet plastic employed is available in various edges, and an approximately arcuate bottom colors, the construction lends itself to attracedge, the top portion of said cloak serving as a tive color effects. hood and having a width materially less than What I claim is: that of the bottom portion, a pair of opposite 1. A rain cloak comprising a sheet of water- 5 substantially triangular elongated lateral extenproof material having a substantially horizontal sions from said top portion for interconnection top edge, downwardly divergent lateral edges, beneath the chin of a person wearing the garand an approximately arcuatebottom edge, said nient saidextenj f lateral ed gsl asript iarcily extnd'd'fiaiii an tially goificidnt wit said t ,v

intersection abovsaid top edge, and inter 0 sheet and haying" lower edges irite s'ecting said section forming the approximate center of curva; lateral edges of the sheet, said lateral edges ture for the bottom edge, the top portion of said' fieing formed with shallow notches at their intercloak serving as a hood and having? a width section's witlipthe lower edges of the extensions. materially less than that of the bottom portion, 4 )7 lnarain cloalgas set forth in claim 2, reinand a pair of opposite substantially tr' v #abmied to the sheet at said interelongated lateral extensions from said tdp pors't: and conforming to said notches.

tion for interconnection beneath the chin of OI l FINNEGAN- person wearing the garment, said extensions haymg their upper edges coincident with 313" 55 References Cited in the file of this patent edge of the sheet and having theirlower edges 20 UNITED STATES PATENTS p'roof material aving an as meats; V Date 1 57 Sha 2135:6555? Lupo Febl 1'0; 18 

